Each year the HM Chief Inspector sets out the scale and priorities of our scrutiny programme in agreement with the Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills.

Early learning and childcare (ELC) settings

Education Scotland will undertake at least 150 inspections in this sector. This includes nursery classes in schools.

Schools

This includes:

• local authority
• grant aided
• independent
• day Special Educational Needs
• residential Special Educational Needs
• secure accommodation services

Education Scotland will undertake at least 250 inspections across the school sector. This will include a sample of 120 inspections which will focus on the following quality indicators:

1. leadership of change
2. learning, teaching and assessment
3. ensuring wellbeing, equality and inclusion
4. raising attainment and achievement

Further inspections

There are 39 schools and settings which will require either a further inspection or a progress report from the local authority.

School consultations

We will evaluate the impact of all education authorities which open or close schools or change their designated catchment areas.

In addition to our planned programme of inspection activity we will carry out inspection activity in response to identified risk, or at the request of Scottish Ministers.

Community learning and development services

HM Inspectors of Education will develop approaches to independent external evaluation of the Adult Learning Strategy for Scotland 2022 to 2027 and the new National Youth Work Strategy.

The adult learning baseline evaluation is expected to be completed by March 2023. The youth work baseline evaluation activity is expected to commence in April 2023 and be completed by December 2023.

HM Inspectors will also contribute to a selection of secondary school full-model inspections to evaluate the contribution of community learning and development to wider achievement.

Colleges

HM Inspectors will undertake a programme of scrutiny and review in all 27 colleges/institutions under the terms of the Outcome Agreement with the Scottish Funding Council.

Private colleges and English language schools

We will undertake three Annual Engagement Visits in private colleges and English language schools who hold UKVI or Tier 4 sponsor status.

Modern Apprentice training

We will re-commence scrutiny of apprenticeship provision.

Prison education

We will join inspections at the request of HM Inspectorate of Prisons.

Joint inspections with the Care Inspectorate

We will work with other scrutiny partners on four Joint Inspections of Children’s Services led by the Care Inspectorate.

National thematic inspections

Three national thematic inspections will be carried out this year:

• progress with implementation of the expansion of funded early learning and childcare
• inclusion and promoting positive behaviour
• curriculum design